Is there a thread for Short Term 12? I saw it and felt very meh about it, like an absolute indie sundance bait movie, complete with a ludicrous (SPOILER) car destroying scene at the near end. (END OF SPOILER).

(SPOILERS FRO FRUITVALE STATION?)Fruitvale Station seemed to me way too benevolent with it's lead character, avoiding any kind of negative trait upon him as to create artificial sympathy for him. The only thing that really stood out for me was the lead's performance precisely because he could inject actual humanity into a tom hanks version of a real person.

(SPOILERS FRO FRUITVALE STATION?)Fruitvale Station seemed to me way too benevolent with it's lead character, avoiding any kind of negative trait upon him as to create artificial sympathy for him. The only thing that really stood out for me was the lead's performance precisely because he could inject actual humanity into a tom hanks version of a real person.

I thought they started him off as a flawed individual who was trying to fix himself. That's what made it more tragic.

Is there a thread for Short Term 12? I saw it and felt very meh about it, like an absolute indie sundance bait movie, complete with a ludicrous (SPOILER) car destroying scene at the near end. (END OF SPOILER).

idk but anyway i'm always off the rail, so real quick: isn't the car scene some rolling thunder? as in, a totally justifiable action against a completely despicable character. that's how i see it. i'd like to hear what you mean by "ludicrous" and "sundance bait." maybe you see it as rolling thunder but still don't like it. that's how i felt about nebraska's punch

Is there a thread for Short Term 12? I saw it and felt very meh about it, like an absolute indie sundance bait movie, complete with a ludicrous (SPOILER) car destroying scene at the near end. (END OF SPOILER).

idk but anyway i'm always off the rail, so real quick: isn't the car scene some rolling thunder? as in, a totally justifiable action against a completely despicable character. that's how i see it. i'd like to hear what you mean by "ludicrous" and "sundance bait." maybe you see it as rolling thunder but still don't like it. that's how i felt about nebraska's punch

SPOILERS FOR BOTH ST12 AND FRUITVALE STATION.

I saw the film as reasonably logic and centered in some sort of documentary like reality (as far as portraying the efforts of these guys to give the kids some hope for the future) until that scene, which felt more like a moment for the audience to cheer than a logical step to be taken by that character in that situation. not to mention there's absolutely not real consequences for the guy who she did this to, or her, or anyone. the sundance bait comment, snarky as it is, has to do with the subject matter, the handheld (and uncreative) camerawork, the artificial slacker niceness of every young social worker and what felt to me like a general superficiality. it just seemed like this universe is way more difficult than what is shown, but it's better to have a feel good movie about it.

fruitvale station had kind of the same problem for me. why is every scene about how this guy is DETERMINED to be a new man? he acts as if he's been the nicest human being all his life. you wonder how did he ever got into such trouble. when he throws away his stash of pot (with us knowing he's broke and owes rent and shit), and when he pets the dying dog, it just felt way too dedicated to the bulding of the character as a complete tragic case. however, I know that when people say "today i'll be a new man" is because they have a long history of being assholes, trainwrecks and dangerous individuals. you never feel that in the movie. it reminded me of tom hanks in road to perdition, where he is supposed to be a ruthless hitman for the mob and all you see is this super nice dad sacrificing himself for his son. only there it made more sense because it was told from the point of view of the son. this was just a filmmaker putting all his energy in leaving no doubt of the character's goodness, manipulating the audience into the thought: "man, if only he had the rest of his life to live, he was going to be a great man".

Is there a thread for Short Term 12? I saw it and felt very meh about it, like an absolute indie sundance bait movie, complete with a ludicrous (SPOILER) car destroying scene at the near end. (END OF SPOILER).

idk but anyway i'm always off the rail, so real quick: isn't the car scene some rolling thunder? as in, a totally justifiable action against a completely despicable character. that's how i see it. i'd like to hear what you mean by "ludicrous" and "sundance bait." maybe you see it as rolling thunder but still don't like it. that's how i felt about nebraska's punch

SPOILERS FOR BOTH ST12 AND FRUITVALE STATION.

I saw the film as reasonably logic and centered in some sort of documentary like reality (as far as portraying the efforts of these guys to give the kids some hope for the future) until that scene, which felt more like a moment for the audience to cheer than a logical step to be taken by that character in that situation. not to mention there's absolutely not real consequences for the guy who she did this to, or her, or anyone. the sundance bait comment, snarky as it is, has to do with the subject matter, the handheld (and uncreative) camerawork, the artificial slacker niceness of every young social worker and what felt to me like a general superficiality. it just seemed like this universe is way more difficult than what is shown, but it's better to have a feel good movie about it.

fruitvale station had kind of the same problem for me. why is every scene about how this guy is DETERMINED to be a new man? he acts as if he's been the nicest human being all his life. you wonder how did he ever got into such trouble. when he throws away his stash of pot (with us knowing he's broke and owes rent and shit), and when he pets the dying dog, it just felt way too dedicated to the bulding of the character as a complete tragic case. however, I know that when people say "today i'll be a new man" is because they have a long history of being assholes, trainwrecks and dangerous individuals. you never feel that in the movie. it reminded me of tom hanks in road to perdition, where he is supposed to be a ruthless hitman for the mob and all you see is this super nice dad sacrificing himself for his son. only there it made more sense because it was told from the point of view of the son. this was just a filmmaker putting all his energy in leaving no doubt of the character's goodness, manipulating the audience into the thought: "man, if only he had the rest of his life to live, he was going to be a great man".

With dead black bodies there is always the issue of humanizing the carcass & proving ones innocence i.e Toxicology test for drugs & alcohol. Ryan Coogler said his mission was to humanize Oscar Grant with the film i think he achieved this, the film was based on this particular time close to his death where he was trying to change. I don't see how this isn't an accurate portrayal

"oh you havent truly watched a film if you didnt watch it on the big screen" mumbles the bourgeois dipshit

I don't know it it's accurate or not, and the color of the man's skin is certainly not what I'm talking about. I'm saying the film does all it can to create artificial sympathy for the character, as if the fact that he's a human being unjustly murdered is not enough. the pot scene felt like a moral stretch and now I find that it never happened, and the dog scene felt corny and too obvious as symbolism. the film would be better without them. don't want to hijack this thread no more, but 2013 was an incredible year for movies. too incredible actually, to the point that a terrific film like ain't them bodies saints didn't make my final six choices for bp. I'm just trying to point out why some of the beloved films shown here are not, to my eyes, worthy of being on the list with all the others.